P. T. Barnum Quotes

Politics and government are certainly among the most important of practical human interests.

I risked much, but I made much.

There is no class of people in the world, who have such good memories as creditors.

A penny here, and a dollar there, placed at interest, goes on accumulating, and in this way the desired result is attained.

Without promotion, something terrible happens... nothing!

Unless a man enters upon the vocation intended for him by nature, and best suited to his peculiar genius, he cannot succeed.

To forgive heals the wound, to forget heals the scar.

Whatever you do, do it with all your might. Work at it, early and late, in season and out of season, not leaving a stone unturned, and never deferring for a single hour that which can be done just as well now.

When a man is in the right path, he must persevere.

No profession, trade, or calling, is overcrowded in the upper story.

In the United States, where we have more land than people, it is not at all difficult for persons in good health to make money.

True economy consists in always making the income exceed the outgo.

Nothing draws a crowd quite like a crowd.

If I was not a remarkably modest man, I should probably brag a little, and say that I had done what no American ever before accomplished by visiting the queen at her palace twice within eight days.

Let your motto then always be 'Excelsior', for by living up to it there is no such word as fail.

There is no such thing in the world as luck. There never was a man who could go out in the morning and find a purse full of gold in the street to-day, and another to-morrow, and so on, day after day: He may do so once in his life; but so far as mere luck is concerned, he is as liable to lose it as to find it.

You can fool most of the people most of the time.

Money is the excellent slave and a horrible master.

I never liked to work, I mean manual work.

Never attempt to catch a whale with a minnow.

A lovely nook of forest scenery, or a grand rock, like a beautiful woman, depends for much of its attractiveness upon the attendance sense of freedom from whatever is low; upon a sense of purity and of romance.

You must exercise your caution in laying your plans, but be bold in carrying them out.

The orthodox faith painted God as a revengeful being, and yet people talk about loving such a being.

The noblest art is that of making others happy

There is no greater picture than that of 10,000 smiling children. No brighter music than their clear-ringing laughter. That I, with my small amusements, have created such precious art is my life's proudest achievement.

I am prouder of my title 'The Children's Friend' than if I were to be called 'The King of the World'.

The show business has all phases and grades of dignity, from the exhibition of a monkey to the exposition of that highest art in music or the drama which secures for the gifted artists a world-wide fame princes well might envy.

Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business. Large stores, gilt signs, flaming advertisements, will all prove unavailing if you or your employees treat your patrons abruptly. The truth is, the more kind and liberal a man is, the more generous will be the patronage bestowed upon him.

Instead of spending money, I earned it.

Every man should make his son or daughter learn some useful trade or profession, so that in these days of changing fortunes of being rich today and poor tomorrow they may have something tangible to fall back upon. This provision might save many persons from misery, who by some unexpected turn of fortune have lost all their means.

Money-getters are the benefactors of our race. To them ... are we indebted for our institutions of learning, and of art, our academies, colleges and churches.

With the young man starting in business, let him understand the value of money by earning it.

Advertising is like learning - a little is a dangerous thing.

We cannot all see alike, but we can all do good.

A penny here, and a dollar there, placed at interest, goes on accumulating, and in this way the desired result is attained. It requires some training, perhaps, to accomplish this economy, but when once used to it, you will find there is more satisfaction in rational saving than in irrational spending.

A salary was not sufficient for me.

Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.

There is scarcely anything that drags a person down like debt.

Small does of advertising result in nothing, obviously. It's like giving a sick person half the medicine he needs. It just causes more suffering. Give the whole dose, and the cure will be certain and decisive.

Witchcraft is one of the most baseless, absurd, disgusting and silly of all the humbugs.

As a general thing, I have not 'duped the world' nor attempted to do so... I have generally given people the worth of their money twice told.

The common man, no matter how sharp and tough, actually enjoys having the wool pulled over his eyes, and makes it easier for the puller.

The truth is, the more kind and liberal a man is, the more generous will be the patronage bestowed upon him.

I would rather hear the pleased laugh of a child over some feature of my exhibition than receive as I did the flattering compliments of the Prince of Wales.

More persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing in nothing, than by believing too much.

How were the receipts today in Madison Square Garden ?

Politeness and civility are the best capital ever invested in business.

If you hesitate, some bolder hand will stretch out before you and get the prize.